Campground Honored By Two Different Agencies For Its Innovated Recycling Efforts
April 14 2016, Myrtle Beach, S.C. — Ocean Lakes Family Campground in Myrtle Beach, S.C., was honored for its iCare recycling program by Carolina Recycling Association (CRA) and the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC). CRA named iCare one of the six best recycling programs in the Carolinas. ARVC named iCare a Plan-It Green Friendly Park Program.
“We’re happy to be able to provide these services for our guests and they appreciate our efforts to protect the environment.” said Barb Krumm, Director of Marketing and Public Relations for Ocean Lakes Family Campground. “We’re blessed to have both our business and our homes in this beautiful area. We’re serious about protecting the area and to receive awards for doing so is such an honor.”
The iCare program focuses on pet waste, litter, and recycling. Through the program, guests and teammates have recycled more than one million pounds of trash. A “Green Meter” sign on the main road shows the number of pounds recycled to encourage guests to recycle more.
There are Doogie Doo Stations with biodegradable bags to clean up after pets, a cigarette butt recycling station, and fishing line receptacles. Ocean Lakes even recycles its vegetable and fruit scraps, using a composter to provide mulch and fertilizer for the flower beds. Looking toward the future, Ocean Lakes is now testing solar-heated water at one of the bathhouses.
CRA honors top recycling performers in the Carolinas each year. Its mission is to conserve resources by advancing recycling and waste reduction. Ocean Lakes was the only campground to receive this honor. Other winners were Chapel Hill and Carrboro Schools’ Cafeteria Composting Program, Clemson University’s Campus Recycling Program, Mecklenbury County’s ReTire Program, Medical University of South Carolina’s University and Medical Center Recycling Program, and Sheetz’s Pump-Side Recycling. You can learn more about CRA and its awards at www.cra-recycle.org.
To become an ARVC Plan-It Green Park, Ocean Lakes had to meet at least nine of 16 eco-friendly criteria. Ocean Lakes currently meets 15 including using energy-saving products and appliances, using renewable energy power sources, and recycling hazardous waste materials like batteries and toxic chemicals. More information on ARVC is available at www.arvc.org.
About Ocean Lakes Family Campground
Ocean Lakes Family Campground, a division of The Jackson Companies, is the largest campground on the East Coast and one of the largest in the United States. Located in Myrtle Beach, S.C., it has received numerous awards for excellence. It is the 2011-2012 National “Park of the Year” in the Mega Park category and has received that honor from the National Association of RV Parks and Campgrounds (ARVC) five times. In 2010, it received the Earth Day Award from the South Carolina Department of Health and Environmental Control for its iCare Program.
In 2006, Ocean Lakes received the prestigious South Carolina Governor’s Cup for making a significant economic impact on South Carolina. Ocean Lakes covers 310 oceanfront acres with nearly one mile of beachfront. It offers 3,447 sites — 859 of which are large and pull-through to accommodate larger RVs. It was built by Mary Emily and Nelson Jackson and their five daughters, starting in 1970. It opened with 30 campsites and one bathhouse in 1971. On an average seasonal day, Ocean Lakes has 25,000 – 30,000 guests enjoying the countless amenities that have made it a local favorite and a national vacation destination. It currently holds a perfect 10/10*/10 rating from the Good Sam RV Travel Guide & Campground Directory for its overall operation, recreational offerings, services and appearance. This puts Ocean Lakes Family Campground in the Top 1% of the private campgrounds in North America. TripAdvisor awarded Ocean Lakes its 2015 “Certificate of Excellence.”
Ocean Lakes Family Campground is a division of The Jackson Companies, a family-owned enterprise that includes Prestwick Golf & Country Club, Ocean Lakes Properties, Crystal Lake Mobile Home Village, Ocean Lakes RV Center, and the master-planned development SayeBrook.
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